


Come With Me Under the Sea

by ThereWillBeCubes



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen, M/M, mer!Haru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-29
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-02-19 06:30:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2378300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereWillBeCubes/pseuds/ThereWillBeCubes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto Tachibana lives alone, a firefighter who is starting to feel lost amongst a big city he doesn't call home. One evening, he takes a walk to the ocean shore, and meets a creature he only believed lived in myths.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First and Second

The first time I had seen him, I had only gone down to the shore for a walk.

 

The constant sound and busyness of the city I had so far managed to deal with, but the never-ending lights, the throngs of people, the coldness, it made it hard to not feel homesickness at the center of my stomach. Keeping focused on my job was easy enough, from removing cats out of trees to chopping through doors with a fireaxe, but after the soot and sweat was washed away and I was alone in a small apartment again in an unfriendly city, it all came back. Tiny sibling's hands curled in mine, demands of piggyback rides and swims at the beach. Family dinners, bento at school with my name inscribed on the rice-

_And god am I terrible at cooking._

I wanted to clear my head, breathe deeply the ocean so like my childhood home. I had sat on a quiet section of rock, watching the silver-rimmed waves gently breaking, and had almost missed the odd light blue flash among them. My eyes slowly blinked, and I leaned forward, and there it was again, a shimmering wave of blue that broke the surface.

What had it been that had drew him to me? I was wearing only a dirty work shirt and my pants rolled up to the knees. But as surely as I had noticed him, he had me, and I almost fell into the ocean myself when I beheld him for the first time, for a few seconds, as he had peered above the level of the water, unblinkingly staring.

 

I didn’t think mermaids, or mermen for that matter, had been real.

 

-

 

The second time I had gone looking.

 

I decided to go at around the same time of day, the same time of week. By the shore, I had wondered if merpeople even had a sense of the days like we did. Probably not. They would have no reason to number them.

The rocks were wet, but I sat and waited, this time watching for only bright blue amongst the dark ocean. The gibbous moon had slowly tracked its way across the sky, and I had almost given up hope as the sound of the waves breaking softly reminded me of my tiredness. As I had stood to leave, upon the next crest he washed onto the rocks, immediately catching my gaze.

His eyes were not the colour of deep ocean or sky, but the brilliant blue of light through the water, almost unearthly in their intensity. The light-blue scales of his tail shone in the moonlight, and glinted from his arms and, I noticed, his torso. I felt a deep blush flood my face, but this had only made him more curious, and before I could move, he had slipped onto my rock, his delicate fingertips upon my cheeks.

I gave a yelp, and toppled into the water. For a moment I tried to find my bearings, before easily kicking to the surface. As my mouth broke the water, I felt a grip on my arm, and forced myself not to cry out as he circled around me gracefully.

Then pulled me down.

My heart had stopped. For the longest time, I had feared the ocean, its coldness, mercilessness, and I felt a surge of terror in my heart as the sea surrounded me, freezing, dark-

“Do not fear the water.”

I stopped my kicking; the voice moved around me, flowing with the water, almost a musical quality to it. I turned to see him, not an arm's length away, his tail swirling out behind him, dotted with tiny spots of luminescence. His dark hair flowed like his voice, and the blue eyes were watching my own.

I opened my mouth to speak, stupidly, as bubbles flew out and water surged in, down my throat and into my lungs.

_I can't breathe I can't breathe I can't breathe_

An arm seized my waist and I shot upwards. I spluttered and retched, sucking in the cool salty air. The grip slowly subsided as my legs regained strength.

I felt embarrassed, but shocked as well at what the merman had done. He was watching me silently, pointing at the water, and then his closed mouth.

“I don't-”

A rasping noise issued from his throat; it sounded like speech but was lost on the breeze, and I understood. He sunk back under the surface, his gaze upwards.

Taking a steady breath, I slowly sunk into the water. We hung just under the surface, a steadying hand on my arm.

“Who are you?” he asked, voice again beautiful, “Are you afraid of the water?”

There were little spots of light on his face as well, sparkling around those deep eyes.

I put my head above the water, hoping he wouldn't notice the blush this time.

“My name is Makoto,” I said, before tilting my head and smiling, “what is your name?”

I didn't have to put my head under, I could hear his voice washing around the surface as he spoke.

“Haru.”

There was a beat, before I continued.

“Not the water... I am afraid of the deep ocean.”

He didn't not respond, but his tail seemed to slow a little. The water's chill was quite overwhelming. I realised my teeth were chattering, my flesh icy.

“I- I can't stay, I'm sorry, I'm freezing.”

For the first time, a definite emotion flitted across his face, and it was alarm.

“Why?” 

“I don't want to,” I said before I could stop myself, “but I have to.”

He said nothing, his expression returning to a flat one, simply swimming alongside me as I swam to shore. Shivering. I pulled the towel I had brought around myself. I checked my phone.

23:14.

_Oh goodness._

I can't be late to the station...

Standing, I put it into my pocket.

“Makoto.”

I was slightly startled; the ocean itself seemed to speak to me, my name a song on the waves.

“You'll... come back?”

My eyes widened, and I saw the tail moving slowly under the water. I felt a slowly growing smile on my face. I put my open hand in the water and he slid his own into it, his fingers surprisingly warm and light. This time, he did not pull me in.

 

“I will, Haru.”


	2. Third and Fourth

The third time I had seen him, I had brought food with me. Assorted seafood, as I assumed that would be what merpeople ate. I had already sworn to myself to not breathe a word of it to anyone, I wanted to believe that no one would want to use the information poorly, but I had been fooled one too many times in my life.

 

I was slightly saddened by the thought smiles came less easily the older I became.

“Haru!” I called as I reached the rocks, this time prepared with swimsuit and food boxes. I picked a dry-looking rock away from the coastline and placed my bag and shoes there, before stripping down to my swimsuit.

“Haru?”

I sat on the rocks and let the waves lap at my calves.

_I hope he likes fish and squid._

“Makoto.”

His face was just beneath the water, unsmiling.

“Good evening, Haru,” I said with a smile. His eyes widened just a fraction as I reached a hand into the water, holding it out.

“I have a gift for you.”

“Gift?”

His voice sounded... hesitant. I could see a tentative look in his eye as I opened one of the boxes.

“Yes, I didn't know what you ate... so I just brought a lot of things, I'm not the best cook, but I thought you'd probably prefer fresh so I bought that too-”

He took my hand, halting my rambling. I pulled him up next to me. Looking away from me, he instead focused on the food in my other hand. I smiled and proffered it.

He immediately picked out a slice of silver fish.

“Mackerel?”

He didn't say anything, but quickly picked out all of it, delicately putting each piece into his mouth and chewing with apparent relish.

“You really like it,” I mused, “aren't there mackerel species in Japanese seas?”

He slid back into the water.

“Mackerel are... very fast swimmers,” he finally said.

“I would bet they are no match for you, Haru!” I said, grinning. He looked away, not meeting my eyes.

“They do not come here often,” he said quietly. My smile faded a little, before perking back up.

“Well then Haru,” I said confidently, and he gave me an impassive look, “next time I will just have to bring more then!”

Haru didn't say anything to that, regarding me from below the ocean surface, his face rippling, watching as I ate what was left.

“Come in the water,” he said abruptly. I shook my head.

“I just ate, I have to wait,” I replied gently. This notion seemed to genuinely confuse, and apparently, irritate him.

“Why?”

“Because if I swim right after eating, I will get all cramped. I don't want to d-drown,” I said with a shudder.

“But I am here,” he replied, as if that settled the matter.

I still shook my head.

He impatiently slapped the water with his tail, sending a small wave into my calves. I gave a little cry and pulled my feet out.

“That won't speed things up, Haru!” I cried.

He huffed, and began lazily swimming around the rocks.

“Do you ever get bored of swimming, Haru?” I asked, watching him circle for the dozenth time as we waited. An affronted face stopped just below the surface, displeasure evident.

“Never. I don't know how you can swim so little,” he said, a little haughtily, “what do you do when you are not in the water, Makoto?”

“I'm a firefighter.”

“What is that?”

Fire's destructive ability was a difficult thing to explain. I got almost no headway trying to compare burns to sunburns, apparently merbeing skin is protected against that kind of thing. Haru told me he had seen it burning occasionally along the shoreline, but had never deigned to approach it or those that created it. I chuckled and told him sometimes teens and university students liked to have beach parties, and that their fires didn't really compare to the ones I had to fight.

“Water is superior to fire.”

“You could... put it like that.”

“So you are scared of water, but not fire?”

My smile faded.

“I'm scared of both,” I said quietly, not wanting to meet his eyes.

“If that is what you choose to do, then it can't scare you that much,” Haru stated, rather bluntly.

I drew my legs up to my chest, burying my face in my arms. He noticed, his voice becoming much softer.

“Makoto-”

“I can't leave people behind,” I whispered, “I am always scared, but I need to be strong for other people. In situations... where d-death is approaching you, you always hope that it won't reach you, that you, someone, anyone will pull you out of it's path before it's too late. With fire, it's not just waiting, it's pain, and it closes around you so quickly...”

Haru didn't say anything, but reached out and touched my hand, clenched against the rock.

“W-When I can do something about it, I must. I don't want to leave them behind.”

I blinked, hard, and felt a tear run down my face. On the back of my eyelids, I could see the rain and lightning, the single waving arm, the churning waves.

“But water is different. It can't be fought. Fire can be beaten. Water cannot. I can't stand it, knowing I can do nothing. I've seen it before.”

_A man, no, a boy's face, lifeless and empty, staring at the grey sky while another tried over and over to revive him, crying out, pressing his lips to his mouth, tears mingling with the seawater on his cold cheeks..._

I felt a tug at my arm, and opened my eyes. Haru had risen a little out of the ocean, eyes lidded, but a determined look in them all the same.

He tugged again and I slid down the rock into the water. I slowly submerged, and he took my arm and pulled me a little further down. I tensed, but let him take my hands and float with me there. The seawater was darkening, and I could feel it pressing and moving all around me, inexorable, and cold to everything within it. But I felt the pressure from Haru's fingers around my own and I swam closer to him.

 

“You don't need to fight it Makoto,” he said quietly, “not with me.”

 

-

 

The fourth time, true to my word, I had brought mostly mackerel.

 

Halfway through the pile of fish, he gave me a side look, before taking a rather large chunk, and placing it in front of my mouth. I had already ate, and was about to say so, but I saw the intense cast on his face and simply leaned forward and opened my mouth. He delicately placed the piece in my mouth, watching as I chewed and swallowed it.

“Uh,” I said, feeling hot around the base of my neck, “thankyou, Haru.”

I hadn't really given it much thought until that point.

A couple weeks ago, I would be slowly cooking a simple meal for myself or eating ramen with a few work colleagues at a cheap place where the chopsticks usually snapped at the middle. By sundown, if I wasn't already lying on the couch, listening to the ever-gloomy evening news, I would be walking home alone, with the occasional cat twisting its way around my ankles.

Even more occasionally, I would briefly chat with one of my old school friends, but the conversation would invariably taper off as we ran out of the same things to say.

And when it would all get too overwhelming, and I would fantasise about the home in my memories, I would walk along the beach until the sand grew cold, lost.

Now I was sharing a meal with a creature that by all my previous beliefs, shouldn't exist.

“I don't understand,” I said quietly, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Haru had fixed me with one of his impassive gazes, “why did you show yourself to me?”

I looked at him, and felt incredulous to see bright pink on his pale skin. He turned his face away from mine, to hide the blush spreading over his cheeks. When he realised I was still staring, he quickly dived into the sea.

“Hey! Haru!” I said, removing my shirt to follow him, “what is it? Wait!”

He was waiting, light waves bobbing him up and down, a distance away from the shore. The water was a brilliant orange from the setting sun, bright, almost painful to look at.

The merman's face still had light tinges below his eyes. He sunk into the water as I approached.

“What's the matter, Haru? You've only made me more curious, you know!” I said, feeling a real smile on my face, “you decided the first time you saw me?”

“That wasn't the first time.”

That stopped me in my tracks. He didn't meet my eyes, but continued to speak.

“You came to the ocean many times, but you never swam. You were always alone, but you spoke as if others were with you.”

Now I felt warm on my cheeks.

_I almost forgot... I would ask for forgiveness._

“You were... very unlike others that come here. I wasn't sure why, but I liked to watch you.”

“I- I see-”

“I saw you on those rocks that day, and I wanted to finally learn your name, to speak to you. But when you finally looked at me, truly at me, I couldn't speak, I ran away.”

He wrapped an arm around my torso, and pulled me under under the violent brightness of the water's surface. He slid a hand down my cheek, and I couldn't look away from him, those tiny spots of light-blue beginning to glow in the darkening water, all over him.

“But you came back. I wanted you to speak with me.”

His tail was slowly moving backward and forward as he brought me closer, and I didn't tense or fight it this time, and now the chill seemed nothing compared to the warmth of his skin, the song in his voice.

“I wanted you to swim with me.”

Haru's face was close to mine as he said these words, fingertips on my chest, when I felt a pressure in my chest, and suddenly realised I hadn't breathed for a good minute. In surprise, I sucked in a mouthful of ocean.

We broke the surface, and I spluttered and took in several gulps of air.

“S-Sorry, I'm not good at holding my breath...” I said sheepishly, and I noticed that Haru's expression had once again become shuttered and distant. I wasn't sure what to say, so we rather awkwardly floated there for several agonising minutes. The warmth had left me now, and I could feel a chill setting into my bones.

I stammered an apology, part cold, part embarrassment, and clambered onto the rocks, feeling my heart thumping faster than usual. Toweling my hair, I realised Haru was silently watching me, head just above the water by some low rocks. I felt the same strange pressure in my chest as I had under the water earlier.

Without thinking, I knelt on a flat rock close to the surface, gripping the edges as I leant over him. For a moment, I thought he would swim away, but instead, he brought his chin skyward.

I gently pressed my lips to his, for only a few seconds, but enough to feel the softness, taste the slight saltiness to them.

We broke apart, and I wanted nothing more to remain there, staring at him, his expression now positively glowing. He reached a hand out to take my arm, but I drew away, not missing hurt flashing across his face.

“Makoto, don't go,” he said unhappily, “stay here.”

 

“I'm sorry, Haru, I can't stay,” I whispered, “I'm not like you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: 
> 
> This part took me longer than I expected, mainly because I am not great at fleshing ideas out without making everything... stale. I think there will be two more parts, I have most of it prepared, but it still needs quite a bit of work.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter c:  
> therewillbecubes.tumblr.com


	3. Losing Count

I forget when I lost count.

 

It was possibly around the festival, when I had stayed only briefly at the markets and temple, before sitting on the shore and watching the fireworks. Haru had believed that as I was a fireman, I should've known how they could be made in all those colours. I could only sheepishly say I could only help out if something went wrong. The bright bursts had looked marvelous over the ocean, reflected in the waves, colour in both sea and sky. I was reminded of the lanterns in the water of home, hundreds, drifting out to sea, like stars. How I had disliked that ocean, for so many years, and it brought me pain and comfort in equal measure. _Does pain subside,_ I wondered, as Haru's hand curled in mine, _due to the forgetfulness of time, or due to the balm that is the life of others?_

 

-

 

It could have been before then, after a particularly violent apartment fire had left me with several unpleasant burns and a short stay in a hospital bed. I had been given time off and told to get some rest and to put cold water on them every few hours. I had carefully, and rather painfully, picked my way down to the rocks, and submerged myself in the blessedly cool sea. Burns were a source of fascination to Haru, who had never had to deal with one, but upon looking at my wincing, he decided he was better off without that whole “able to burn” trait. He'd fussed over the red welts, but had been mollified at my insistence the water would fix them eventually.

“Of course,” he had said, “water is superior.”

 

-

 

It might have been months before that, when I received the news that my mother was very ill, and unlikely to be healthy again. And when I had been gone for weeks, and upon returning to my small apartment, I was unable to take the loneliness, the lack of spark and life, and went to the only place I felt peaceful. As I had sobbed to myself, letting the waves spill around my feet, I felt an arm around my shoulder and another head against my own. I could see anger and worry and fear fighting on his face, and I didn't know why. I let myself be tugged into the ocean, and the waves carried me gently as Haru floated beside me, keeping me steady. He had seemed unhappy, and confused, and I wondered about his own parents. I had found out, there on the silver ocean, that his parents had left him long ago, and he barely remembered them, all said with a strange detachment and dispassionate tone.

He had seen my tears many times before, but know he wiped them away with his own fingers, murmuring into my neck and ears in an attempt to soothe me. We had lain on the warm sand, the sun still sitting in soupy orange glory of afternoon, his tail draped across my legs, one hand in between by clasped trembling ones, and the other smoothing the damp hair on my forehead, over and over as he made low keening sounds, strange croons. I didn't know exactly what he was trying to say, but feeling his chest hum against my own was comforting, and my tears eventually stopped, and I lay, utterly exhausted, wishing I could just sink into the warm sand.

Haru was warm too.

But he had been scared, Haru said, when I hadn't returned after an entire cycle of the moon, he believed I had simply not cared about him, grown tired of him, but his greatest fear was that I had passed from the world, and that he would never see me again. He said he had forgotten how much it hurt.

 

-

 

He'd become distant and devoted in equal measure, sometimes remaining at arm's length as I would talk about whatever was on my mind, never answering my questions or giving any indication he was listening, bar the fact his eyes would stay only on my face. Other times, when I would swim away, or was about to leave, he would hold me tightly, ask me to stay, over and over. I couldn't understand it.

“If you had the choice, would you stay?” he would often ask, giving me one of his intense stares. I would always smile and nod.

“Of course, Haru, I wish I could.”

He wouldn't reply to that, but would continue to stare.

As I had brought him gifts, he had begun to bring me gifts; fish he had caught, glowing coral, shark's teeth. Each time they would be put in my hands with a “Here, Makoto,” and I would dazedly accept them.

The most recent was something truly precious.

 

-

 

Sitting on the shore, his tail curled strangely inwards, he had indicated he wanted to swim, and I had acquiesced, following him under the water. He had seemed nervous, fidgety, his tail moving awkwardly. I noticed there was something tied around the thinnest part, right above the fin.

“I have something to give you,” he said quietly, and I tilted my head, smiling. Sweeping his tail towards him, he swiftly removed the little bundle. I surfaced to take a breath, before dipping back down. One of Haru's hands was behind his back. He was attempting his usual deadpan stare, but he wasn't his usual self, all taut and tense in the water.

“Haru-?”

“Close your eyes and turn around, Makoto,” he said tersely, and I complied. I felt his hand go around my neck in a circle, and felt a strange point of cold settle against my chest, and the lightest wisp of something around my neck.

“There,” Haru said, his voice almost a whisper, and I opened my eyes and looked down.

Settled against my bare chest was a white baroque pearl, as large as my thumb from second knuckle to tip, threaded through with plaited blue-black strands of what I realised was Haru's hair. My chest and heart about to burst with pressure, I exhaled roughly and immediately sought fresh air.

He watched me, gauging my reaction, no doubt.

“Haru-! This, this is a pearl!” I gasped, gaping at it.

“Yes, I thought that was obvious,” he said impatiently, frowning.

“It's beautiful, Haru, it really is,” I said earnestly, touching it with the tip of my finger. I felt so.. rough and unrefined in comparison.

_Aren't natural pearls really rare?!_

“I-I'm glad you think so, Makoto,” he replied softly, not meeting my gaze.

“This is a really special gift, thankyou, Haru.”

“It's traditional.”

_Huh?_

I must've said this out loud, because Haru looked a little annoyed, a little afraid.

“It's... traditional...” he said slowly, “to give a pearl to... to declare your love for someone.”

My heart didn't feel like it was to burst now, no, it stopped altogether.

“Declare... love...” I said slowly, holding the pearl in my fingers. It was impossibly smooth.

Haru was waiting, I realised. Waiting.

“But, Haru, I-”

His eyes widened, fingers slowly clenching, and he started to shake, and I hurried on.

“I don't have a pearl for you.”

He froze entirely.

“You, accept my gift?” he said cautiously, locking eyes.

I felt warmth spread outwards from the little pearl on my chest.

“Of course, Haru.”

 

-

 

I had regarded it as a break from my life, from sweat and soot and lonely rooms. I had looked forward to it, but I could march on, knowing I would go back. It had given me comfort.

But now, all I could think about was returning. It became harder and harder to leave, my feet like lead, and I felt as if the waking world was just a monotonous dream, where those I cared about had died or never spoke to me anymore. My legs would drag on their own weight, on land, I felt constricted by heavy firefighting jackets and pants and boots. I couldn't do it.

My heart ached.

People around me had begun to notice a change, and I was given advice, endless questions, offers of sick leave. I was tempted to quit, but I could not survive by the beach, no matter how much I wanted to stay, I had to survive in the city, if only to see him a few nights a week. It was... worth it.

I would feel the pearl around my neck the moment I woke up, from the moment I collapsed to sleep, against my chest like a talisman.

Haru noticed.

“What is wrong, Makoto?” he asked one calm evening, hand on my cheek. His eyes were filled with worry.

_God, they're beautiful._

“I don't know how I can do it anymore, Haru,” I whispered miserably, and his fingers tightened on my face.

“What... do you mean?”

“I can't stand it.”

He hovered above me, thin trails of seawater running down his face, haloed by the moon, waxing full in her silver splendour.

“I can't be apart from you anymore, Haru.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Okay, finally finished this one (and I was really trying to make it flow nicely without getting boring,) only one more part to go, I will update next Sunday. 
> 
> I couldn't think of anything else earlier that would work as string material that could last as a necklace, so let's just say merbeing hair is super long-lasting. Also I thought it would be more personal to use Haru's hair for it as well ;;;o -o
> 
> therewillbecubes.tumblr.com
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this part! I enjoyed writing it a lot. C: (except for the philosophical-esque part at the beginning, I'm not good with character's thoughts, but I tried anyway gah :s)


	4. No Need

“Do you trust me?”

I blinked at the question, and my heart wrenched. 

I'd heard that before.

Unbidden, unwanted, I remembered.

“ _Mako-chan!”_

“ _Nagisa, I just don't think today is a good day for it,” I reply unhappily, and the blond boy's face falls, before perking right up again._

“ _But we said we'd teach Rei-chan all about ocean swimming! He's never been, have you Rei-chan?”_

_The other boy, much taller, blushes and shakes his head, pushing his glasses nervously up his nose._

“ _Nagisa-kun, it's going to rain this afternoon, maybe Makoto-senpai is right?”_

“ _Nu-uhh, he's not! We'll see the rain coming anyway! Come ooon Rei-chan!”_

“ _Nagisa-kun, I-”_

_Nagisa takes Rei's hands, giving him the full puppy-dog look, his sweet face perfect for it._

“ _Don't you trust me, Rei-chan?”_

That phrase never held anything but pain.

Haru held both of my hands in his own as we floated beneath the surface. We were a distance along the coast, in a magnificent formation of rocks inaccessible by foot. I had followed him there on his insistence it would be a sight I had not seen before.

The rocks were incredible, arching above us, eroded with time, and running deep into the ocean, as far as light could reach.

We had set out at late afternoon, and it was now evening, a brilliant full moon rising in the gaps above us.

I took a breath and re-entered the water.

“Makoto,” Haru said quietly, locked onto my face, “do you trust me?”

_Sometimes pain is worth it, Haru._

I nodded.

Haru's grip tightened on my hands, and he pulled me closer, so much closer, until our faces were mere inches from one another.

“Do not fear me.”

With a great flick of his tail, he surged downwards, towards the seabed.

And was taking me with him. I was frozen, torn between terror and stubbornly not wanting to show distrust. The water around me was silent as we descended ever deeper into the darkness.

_Haru?! What are you doing?!_

I watched the silver light gradually dim, Haru's face turned away, a vice-grip on my hand, and as my lungs could take no more, I realised I was not going back up in this breath.

Bubbles flew out of my mouth and around my face, and the light from the moon faded entirely.

I tried to kick, but my legs felt like lead, and I felt my lungs shriek as I sucked in the water.

Suddenly, as dark spots began to appear in front of my eyes, so too did brilliant light spots.

As I struggled to hold onto consciousness, my heart thundering with terror, I felt myself be placed onto soft sand, soft blue and green light surrounding me.

Haru was above me, his tail a moving constellation, his face unreadable.

_Why? Why are you doing this to me, Haru?_

Darkness was overwhelming me, _the ocean was merciless,_ as his hands took either side of my head, _the ocean kills_ , and all I could see now was a beautiful blue, the last sight I would ever-

I took in another gulp of water, and I knew that was it. If I was crying I couldn't tell, but everything was shutting down, it was strange to feel sensation just... die, in my arms, my hands, my feet, my legs...

_Rei, I'm sorry._

And as I slipped away, I felt a peculiar pressure on my open lips, and a voice flow into my ears, whispered and thick with emotion.

“Makoto, come back.”

 

-

 

I could feel the water in my lungs now, but it no longer felt heavy, no, it felt light, lighter than that, like... air.

I expelled it from my lips, and breathed in. Again, I felt the salty ocean water move into my lungs, but with each breath I could feel myself returning. Strength flowed back into me, and I was suddenly aware of colour and pressure and light.

All around me, delicately waving bright tendrils, were blue and green luminescent flowers. The sand felt soft, almost impossibly warm. I blinked.

The water... it was clearer. Everything was sharper and brighter.

I felt something tighten around my shoulders, and looked down.

Haru's arms were wrapped around my bare torso, his black-haired head pressed to my left side, over where my heart now beat with renewed vigour, as if in pride. He slowly looked up at me, and he looked... afraid.

“Makoto...” he whispered, and his tail curled slowly inwards. I watched as tiny droplets formed at the edges of his eyes, to immediately disappear.

I could not speak. He slowly crawled up until his face was over mine. I tensed my arms as his hands moved to touch my face.

“Makoto... forgive me. I could not- I could not tell you... Makoto...”

I tried to sit up, anything, but my legs did not respond.

I watched a brilliant, shimmering green tail move through the water instead, tipped with a wide fin.

We sat, propping myself up with my arms, Haru practically hanging over me, as I tried to understand what I had just done with my lower extremities.

“How?”

There was my voice, whispering like the waves at low tide, and his eyes seemed to shake.

“I could not tell you. If you had known, you would have panicked, you may have d-died before I could put you in the garden, I-”

“The... garden?” I said. Haru's eyes lidded as he lifted one of the green plants. It's light reflected in his sapphire eyes.

“Our garden, if I placed you... at full moon, in- in a garden I had made for you... then...”

My eyes tore away from his to the tail. It was thicker and longer than Haru's, a green close to my swimsuit's. I looked around me at the hundreds of glowing plants, waving strange long strands. Their tips seemed to burn with the intensity of light.

“Then... this? Haru? If I died in these... flowers?”

He suddenly gripped me and shook his head violently.

“No! Not die, just, just have the water fill your lungs, let it in, and then-”

“Haru...”

“And then I breathe into you, Makoto, and as... our breath ceases to be separated... so too do our lives.”

I felt his fingers curl against my chest, his own heaving,

_Haru._

“Forgive me.”

 

-

 

“You know I would've.”

His hand tightens around mine, and he looks a little distant. We had swum up from the depths, watching the full moon from below the surface; I had wanted to see myself in the light, and Haru had followed, refusing to leave my side.

“It wasn't just that.”

He turned away, eyes slightly lidding in his familiar expression of frustration.

“Haru-”

“You weren't changing.”

I felt my mouth open a little, and looked at him in confusion, tugging slightly at his hand.

“I wasn't... changing?”

“I thought you were dead. You weren't changing. I was waiting, and for so long you just lay there... you were... so cold, so silent. I tried again and again, but it wasn't working. I had not considered that it wouldn't.”

I didn't know what to say.

“I thought... I thought you were dead. And it was my fault.”

I pulled him into a hug, my longer tail wrapping around his.

“But I didn't die Haru,” I said gently, “it's alright.”

I felt him press his forehead to the crook of my neck, hair tickling my chin.

“My parents, before they left me for the last time... they made sure I knew about all these things... maybe so they would feel better about leaving only a hatchling behind...”

I grip him tighter, feeling him shake.

“I tried to reject everything they had taught me. They didn't need me, I didn't need them. I thought I didn't need... anyone.”

His hand trails up to my face, and his eyes meet mine, and they are sorrowful.

“I knew how afraid you were. But I still... I'm so sorry, Makoto.”

“There's no need...” I murmured, running my hand through his hair, feeling where his cheek pressed into the pearl around my neck.

 

I had been afraid.

 

But now, I was no longer afraid of the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> So... there's the end of the main story, but I couldn't help myself and have a small epilogue almost finished as well, but I will add that as soon as it is ready.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading! C:  
> therewillbecubes.tumblr.com


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ocean is no longer something to be feared.

 

My eyes slowly opened to sunlight filtering through the water. Small particles swirled and flashed in the morning light, and I smiled at the warmth on my skin.

I turned my face slightly, to the one tucked under my arm. Haru was curled against my side, his head on my chest, over my heart, blue crossing green in the seabed. I felt his chest rise and fall slowly, his eyelids and arms relaxed, still asleep. Struck by sweetness, I leaned over, and lightly kissed the top of his head.

“Hmm?” he murmured sleepily, shuffling a little. He opened his brilliant eyes, catching me leaning over him, and he too, smiled, and rose gently to meet my lips.

He hummed deeply in his chest, breaking away gently to gaze into my eyes, always looking that tiny bit surprised. His raven hair gently caressed his forehead, and I felt another smile on my face.

“Good morning,” Haru murmured, lightly kissing my jaw. I felt a familiar blush tinge my cheeks as he sighed happily against it, before gently pulling me upwards.

The tail was still... unfamiliar. It was a lot more graceful in the water than legs, but I still expected the particular joints and muscles, and did not yet move as smoothly as I would have liked.

I swam alongside him as we lazily circled upwards. The water became warmer as we approached the surface, and I felt more keenly the cool pearl around my neck, a point of cold against my skin. My eyes shifted from the sunlit water to Haru's chest; always feeling slightly giddy at the sight of a small baroque pearl there too. He caught me looking, and his eyes shimmered even more strongly.

I flicked my tail awkwardly, jerking upwards. I groaned and tried to settle, tried to do as Haru said, _slide through the water, feel it around you_.

“You need to not think about it,” Haru said quietly, and I frowned.

“That doesn't help me much, I can't help but think about it.”

He takes my hand, guiding me through the water. I watch his tail move so gracefully through it, and I slip into a trance watching the glittering of the sunlight along it.

Dimly, I realise Haru has let go of my hand, and is giving me a tiny smile as I keep pace with him.

“Like that,” he said quietly, “be one with the water. Be one with me.”

-

“Makoto-” Haru said huskily, pressing his mouth greedily against my collarbone, his tail slipping around mine. It felt... different, somehow. I couldn't quite explain it, but as he moved it lithely around and along my own, it seemed to meet strange resistance. Haru's mouth moved up to mine, tongue slipping between my lips. The water around us sparkled green and blue from our tiny glowing scales, and I moaned as he suddenly gripped harder, moving with deliberate strokes.

His tail definitely... _caught_ on something, and I felt a strange surge of dizzying heat in my belly.

“Haru, I- I don't know how to-”

Haru made a soothing noise, splaying one hand on my chest, the other one reaching to stroke the boundary of torso and tail. It was more sensitive than it had ever been, and I threw my head back, eyes closed, as he slid a single finger along the skin and scales. I let out another groan and stared at him. His eyes were lidded as he watched me, an expression quite unlike any other on his face.

“You will soon.”

-

“Haruma! Makopa!”

The school was moving frantically as the three merbeings circled it, each trying to catch dinner. The smallest, a tiny mermaid with dark blue hair and a glittering seafoam tail, darted to the edge, hands outstretched. She was faster than the hapless fish, snagging one round the middle, and beaming at us.

“Rei!” I said delightedly, as she swam up to us in triumph,“you caught one!”

Haru smiled as Rei proudly proffered her fish; a large silvery mackerel, more than enough for her.

“It is a very good catch, Rei,” he said softly, and she looked at his catch, her green eyes widening.

“But Haruma caught _four_ ,” she said, deflating a little, “you're so quick!”

“Hmm, but Makopa only caught two, and he's a lot bigger,” Haru mused and I spluttered.

“You're the fastest, we know,” I said, and Rei giggled, before looking at her fish again.

“Will I be as fast as Haruma one day?” she asked quietly, her tail slowing. I swam to her eye level.

“No, my pearl,” I said gently, and she looked shocked, before I continued, “you'll be even faster.”

She nodded, before looking at the pair of us with a glint in her eyes. She suddenly shot off through the water, laughing.

“Race you!”

-

The ocean was never truly dark anymore. The light of the sun and moon may have not reached the bed of our home, but as they lay down to rest, I didn't need it. Our skin was covered in our own stars, blue-green and beautiful, and Haru, never far from me, more beloved than both celestial bodies combined. Rei's arms stretched across my chest as she snuggled in between us, her little tail a tiny gradient between my green and his blue. She was always the first to fall asleep, usually encouraged by Haru's fingers stroking her hair, and my gentle humming of a faintly-remembered lullaby.

 

_Come with me under the sea,_

_we'll have all you'll ever need,_

_drink sweet salt the pain will pass,_

_become one with silver mass._

 

_-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so there is the final part. C: I have been tweaking it and umm-ing over it for awhile, but in all honesty I think it is enough. I really loved writing this au but I wanted it to be relatively short and sweet. 
> 
> also, with the lyrics, on the first round of hearing Merewif, I believed the line was "Come with me under the sea" but realised after that it was actually "Go with me under the sea" but I don't know, I am a stickler sometimes when it comes to particular words and phrases and their emotional connotations and I really preferred "Come with me" as the phrase. So I am sticking with that C: 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading this fic!
> 
> catch me at therewillbecubes.tumblr.com if you have any au ideas or prompts C:

**Author's Note:**

> A/N:  
> I started writing this after listening to Merewif about a dozen times in a row, and because I am in an slump after the Eternal Summer finale, I had Free! on my mind, and I particularly love the mer!haru/firefighter!makoto au. (Thanks Future Fish!)
> 
> I think this will be in more than two parts, I was initially going to post it all in one go, but I feel it's too much for one post, but the way it is set out wouldn't really fit two either. I will just have to see. I hope you like it. C:
> 
> catch me at therewillbecubes.tumblr.com


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